Beverage cooling and dispensing system



Dec. 19, 1950 H. M. BRAUD BEVERAGE COOLING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM medMarch 24, 1947 2 SheeS-Sheec l Dec. 19, 1950 H. M. BRAUD 2,534,570

BEVERAGE COOLING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM Filed March 24, 1947 2sheets-sheet 2 w h i P O \l/ o \A ya 25 27 .INVENTOR.

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Patented Dec. 19, 1950 BEVERAGE COOLING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM Harold M.Brand, San Francisco, Calif.

Application March 24, 1947, Serial No. 736,721

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a beverage cooling and dispensing apparatusespecially designed for operation with carbon dioxide as a refrigerant.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplifythe construction and operation of apparatus of the character described;to provide a beverage cooling and dispensing apparatus in which solidcarbon dioxide is used not only as a refrigerant but also by a means forapplying gas under suillcient pressure to elevate and dispense thebeverages; to provide an eilicient cooling unit for the beverage to bedispensed; and further, to provide a cooling unit which may be readilyremoved from the apparatus and opened for cleaning and sterilization.

The beverage cooling and dispensing apparatus is shown by way ofillustration in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is acentral vertical section of the beverage cooling and dispensingapparatus showing it connected with a keg containing the beverage to becooled;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the cooling unit; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view partially in section and partially brokenaway showing portions of the upper and lower sections of the coolingunit.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and especially Fig. 1, A indicatesa cylindrical shaped container which is intended for the reception ofsolid cakes of carbon dioxide or so called Dry Ice, such as indicated atB. Surrounding the cylinder A is a second cylinder C which ispermanently closed by a cover section 2 while the cylinder A is providedwith a removable cover 3 held by a clamp 4 and a cooperating screw 5. Abase plate 6 forms a common bottom for the cylinders A and C and thebase plate is also provided with a pair of guides l-l between which isslidably supported a cooling unit generally indicated at D which willhereinafter be more fully described.

The beverage to be cooled and dispensed, for instance beer, is oftendelivered in a keg such as shown at E. These kegs have a screw plug atone end which, when removed, permits insertion of a fitting such asshown at 8. This fitting has a gas inlet 9 which is connected through apipe or ilexible hose III with a standard form of pressure-reducingvalve, generally indicated at I I. The beer to be cooled and dispensedis discharged from the keg through a pipe I2 and a flexible hose I4which is connected as at I with the rear side of the cooling unit D. Thebeverage flows through a series of passages formed within the coolingunit in a zig-zag manner and is finally dispensed through a tap or valveIl.

Beer and like beverages is usually sold glass by glass over the counterin eating places, bars and the like. The keg containing the beverage iseither placed under the counter or in the basement and as such it isobvious that considerable pressure must be applied to the keg in thespace above the beverage in order to force it under sufilcient pressurethrough pipe I2, hose I4 and the cooling unit D to the tap I'I fromwhich it is finally dispensed.

In the apparatus here shown Dry Ice is not only employed as arefrigerant for the cooling unit D, but also for supplying the gasrequired for elevation and dispensing of the beverage. In the case ofbeer and the like which contains CO2 gas, it prevents the beer fromloosing its gas and becoming at.

In actual practice as heat is absorbed by the Dry Ice in the cylinder A,sublimation takes place and CO2 in the form of gas is liberated. The gasbuilds up pressure and passes through a check valve 2a into the cylinderC. This cylinder carries a pressure reducing valve II and this, whenproperly regulated, delivers the gas through the hose I0 to the kegWhere it applies the pressure required to elevate and dispense thebeverage. The employment of the check valve 2a and the second cylinder Cis important as it is necessary from time to time to replenish the DryIce in the cylinder A. This is accomplished by opening a pet cock 20 torelieve cylinder A of pressure thereby permitting the clamp and thescrew 5 and the cover 3 to be removed. Cylinder A may thus be refilledand again closed without releasing the gas under pressure in thecylinder C and the apparatus as a whole may thus function withoutinterruption, at least until such time as the keg E becomes empty.

Sanitation is an important feature of an apparatus of the character heredescribed. That is, the fitting 8, the hose connections I4, andparticularly the cooling unit D and the tap I'l must be thoroughlycleaned and sterilized at comparatively frequent intervals. By referringto Figs. 4 and 5 it will be noted that the cooling unit is made in twosections, to wit the bottom section indicated at 23 and the coversection indicated at 24. The bottom section 23 is provided with ashoulder and a gasket 25 to receive the cover section when it is appliedand secured by screws 26 or the like. Each section of the cooling unitis provided with ribs such as indicated at 2l and 28,

respectively. These ribs are parallel but staggered with relation toeach other, thus forming a series of passages through which the beveragemust flow back and forth as indicated by the arrows before reaching thedischarged tap or valve l1.

The cooling unit is, as previously stated, slidably mounted between thesupports 1-1 in the manner of a slidably mounted drawer. Hence, when itis desired to clean the cooling unit, valve Ba is closed and the hose I4is uncupped so that it may be cleaned and sterilized. I'he cooling unitD may then be pulled out and carried to a table or convenient benchwhere the cover 24 is removed by releasing the screws 2B. Removal of thecover opens the unit for cleaning and sterilization, and if the tap I1is to be cleaned, it may also be removed. Thus, all parts requiringcleaning and sterilization may readily be removed and easily and quicklyreplaced after cleaning. Furthermore, the cooling unit is in directcontact with the bottom section 8 of the cylinders A and C, thusfunctioning eiliciently as the ribs 20 and cover 2l provide extensivesurfaces through which heat to be removed from the beverage will readilybe conducted. The cylinder B may be provided with a safety valve 30 ofany suitable character to prevent building up of excessive gas pressure.A cleanout pipe 3l communicating with the cylinder A may also beprovided. This carries a plug at its outer end which may be removed ifit is desired to wash the interior of the cylinder and to sterilize andotherwise clean it, pipe Il merely functioning as a drain in that case,and while this and other features of the invention have been more orless specifically described and illustrated, it should be understoodthat changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claimsand that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may besuch as the experience or judgment of the manufacturer may dictate orvarying conditions or uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

l. In an apparatus for cooling and dispensing liquids, a heattransmitting container for the reception of solid CO2, a secondcontainer surrounding and in heat transmitting relationship with thefirst container, a check valve between the containers to permit CO2 gasliberated by the 50 solid CO2 to flow into the second container, aliquid cooling unit in heat transmitting relationship with thecontainers and adapted to be cooled by the solid and gaseous carbondioxide therein, said cooling unit having an inlet and a valveddischarge, and means for making the pressure established by gas in thesecond container effective upon liquid in said cooling unit.

2. In an apparatus for cooling and dispensing liquids, a heattransmitting container for the reception of solid CO1. a secondcontainer surrounding and in heat transmitting relationship with thefirst named container, a check valve between the containers to permitC0: gas liberated by the solid CO: to flow into the second container, aliquid cooling unit in heat transmitting relationship with thecontainers and adapted to be cooled by the solid and gaseous carbondioxide therein, said cooling unit having an inlet and a valveddischarge, means for making the pressure established by gas in thesecond container effective upon liquid in said cooling unit, and meansfor regulating the gas pressure so transmitted.

3. A cooling unit comprising a base section, a cover section, an inletand a discharge formed in the base section, a plurality of parallelspaced apart ribs formed in the base section, a plurality of parallelspaced apart ribs formed on the cover section and disposed between thebase section ribs when the cover is applied to said base, said first andlast named ribs forming a zig-zag flow passage between the inlet and theoutlet, a refrigerant container, and means for slidably holding saidbase section and said cover section in heat transmitting relationshiptherewith.

4. A cooling unit comprising a base section, a cover section, an annularshoulder on the base section, a gasket on said shoulder to receive thecover section, means for securing the cover section tothe base section,an inlet and a discharge formed in the base section, a plurality ofparallel spaced apart ribs formed in the base section, a plurality ofparallel spaced apart rib's formed on the cover section and disposedbetween the base section ribs when the cover is applied thereto, saidfirst and last named ribs forming a zig-zag flow passage between theinlet and the outlet, and means on said base section for supporting saidbase section and said cover section.

HAROLD M. BRAUD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 168,500 Jas Oct. 5, 1875 998,460Boyer et al July 18, 1911 1,692,223 Pinkerton et al. Nov. 20, 19281,983,285 Gloor et al Dec. 4, 1934 2,003,532 G1001' June 4, 19352,026,335 Williamson Dec. 31, 1935 2,112,637 Swem Mar. 29, 1938

